Stress does not get enough attention when related to health and weight loss. We all have heard that we should reduce stress, but don't make many changes, because stress is just a part of life. We are under a constant level of stress which leads to weight gain and a breakdown of health. Following is a survey by Dr. Hyman which can be an indicator of how much stress you are coping with:

Do you have low blood pressure?

Do you get dizzy when you stand up?

Have you been diagnosed with hypoglycemia?

Do you have cravings for salt or sweets?

Do you have dark circles under your eyes?

Do you have trouble falling asleep and or staying asleep?

do you feel groggy and not refreshed when you wake up?

Do you experience mental fogginess or trouble concentrating?

Do you get headaches?

Do you get frequent infections (for example, colds)?

Do you feel tire easily on doing any exercise or feel very fatigued after exercise?

Do you often feel stressed?

Do you have panic attacks or startle easily?

This list goes on - what it indicates is a stressed adrenal system. When we are under so much stress, we lose the natural rhythm of our bodies. We no longer sleep well, which leads to fatigue, which leads to sugar cravings, which leads to weight gain... and so on and so on. To resolve this, we have to go back to simplifying our daily lives. We need to slow down, support our systems with whole foods, water and supplements, get out in nature, and most of all, relax. Stress affects every part of our lives. Have a relaxing weekend - Shanna

I rarely talk about supplements in isolation, but magnesium is one nutrient that the majority of people are deficient in. This can be caused by a lack of magnesium rich food, but most likely it is due to the stress that is put on our systems. Some foods that are magnesium rich include kelp, almonds, cashews and green leafy vegetables. Some indications that you may be deficient in magnesium according to the web site, www.drhyman.com, include the following:

I am tired often

I have trouble falling asleep or have insomnia.

I am sensitive to loud noises

I have fewer than two bowel movements a day

I have asthma

I experience muscle twitching

I experience leg or hand cramps.

I frequently experience headaches or migraines.

I have PMS most months

I have restless leg syndrome

I frequently feel irritable

I have depression and/or anxiety

I have acid reflux

I have a lot of stress in my life

I have ADD or autism

I experience heart flutters, skipped beats, or palpitations.

There is more to this list, but this just gives an indication of how many functions of our bodies are affected by this one mineral. If you find that you experience numerous symptoms listed above, it might be worth speaking to your health practitioner to see if supplementing with magnesium may be beneficial. Have a great day! Shanna

Dr. Hyman talks about numerous hormones in his book, but I am going to focus on the adrenals and cortisol. Dr. Hyman isn't concerned about the stress that short term, and then resolved (speaking in front of a group, meeting a deadline, etc.), his concern is for the stress we put ourselves under on a daily basis, and the stress that we never resolve. This keeps the body in a state that requires high cortisol production. This leads to weight gain and attributes to most health concerns. Here are some questions from Dr. Hyman to ask yourself to see if your adrenals are stressed:

My life is very stressful

I am easily startled and suffer from panic attacks

I feel tired but wired

I feel fatigued

I often feel weak and shaky

When I stand up, I feel dizzy

I have dark circles under my eyes

I crave sweets or salt

I don't feel refreshed after a night's sleep

I have difficulty either falling or staying asleep

I frequently experience headaches

The list goes on - if you said yes to many of the questions above, it is worth looking into adrenal fatigue to see if that is a roadblock to weight loss and optimum health. Dr. Hyman recommends finding ways to relieve and manage stress to improve health, overall (exercise, meditation, laughing, praying and more). Have a great day - Shanna

I have been slacking on doing blogs...once again, I am bored with my format, and I am looking for new material! I am currently reading a book called the List Makers Get- Healthy Guide by the Editors of Prevention. It is a fun format of ideas for nutrition, exercise and more. One of the lists that caught my attention has to do with stress. This is one of the biggest concerns of many of the clients that I see (right up there with fatigue and weight loss). According to this book, 63 percent of people believe that their lives are more stressful than five years ago. This is not a surprise, based on the economy, what is surprising is the high number of people experiencing this stress. According to the List Maker's book, the following is a list good reasons to try and keep your stress level to a minimum:

You'll Stay Healthier: Stress can deplete your immune function. It is problematic for both physical and emotional health.

You'll Lower Your Disease Risk: "Persistent, unrelenting stress can weaken your body in such a way that you're more vulnerable to serious chronic illness."

You'll Eat Better, Weigh Less: Stress can throw our hormones and chemical balance out of whack, leading to weight gain.

You'll Exercise More: Exercise is a great way to combat stress and improve health.

You'll Sleep Soundly: Sleep is so important to overall health. Stress causes "ANTS" - annoying negative thoughts that keep us awake at night.

You'll Strengthen Personal Bonds

You'll Be More Social

You'll Do Your Job Better: Stress contributes to fatigue and difficulty with concentrating.

You'll Give it Your All: "People who stress are never fully invested in what they're doing."

You'll Be Happy!

A great quote that I refer to when I am under too much stress is ~Worrying does not empty tomorrow of its troubles, it empties today of its strength~ this is important to keep in mind, because there are so many things that we stress about that are out of our control. Goal for today - Relax and let go of the things that are out of our control at this moment. Have a Happy Thanksgiving - Shanna